I almost hit someone!

[CookieGVB]

I'm still trying to calm down. I just dropped off my friend at the bus station, and on the way back, I turned the corner to come down the road to my house, and saw some kids (teens) at the side of the road. I slowed down a bit, to see if they saw me coming, but out of the corner of my eye I saw movement from the other direction.

Four of their friends had come from between cars waiting for the light, and dashed across the street. I slammed on the brakes, and they tried to stop, and one girl fell...and slid right under my car!! Thank GOD I stopped in time, because she was halfway under the car. If I hadn't been able to stop...

I've tried to call a few people to talk to, because when I came into the house, I broke down and started crying. My 16 year old son is here, and I went in and cried all over him, poor thing. I told him I hoped he and his friends ALWAYS cross at the light and look before they run to join friends. It seems that the young ones remember that, but the older ones start to forget.

I'm not usually one to go around looking for sympathy...but this has me all shaken.

 

[christineann]

I'm so sorry! Thank goodness you are an alert, careful driver. I hope your day gets much better.

 

[donald&daisy]

Wow. I'm really sorry for your scare. It can be hard to get over something like that. It will just take time and it does help talking to someone about it.

 

[DawnCt1]

How awful for you. Did the kids stop?

 

[Mrs.Milo]

Gail, it's always been a big fear of mine, how scary for you. That person was so lucky you were able to stop, for both of you.
Lora

 

[petrymom]

OH, I am so sorry for your scare. Good thing you are a good driver!!!!

 

[doxdogy]

I am so sorry for your scare.

 

[poohandwendy]

That is so scary! That is my worst fear as a driver, hitting a pedestrian.

It drives me crazy, when people pay no atttention to the traffic on the road.

 

[CookieGVB]

Thanks - I'm feeling a little less shaken, but I've been eating everything in sight.

They all slid to a stop when they saw the car, but the one girl slipped and fell - right under the middle of the car. She jumped up right away after I came to a stop. I kept asking if she was ok. She looked about as freaked out as I was, but gave a thumbs up and nodded.

I have never had such a close call with a pedestrian (other cars, yes, but that never shook me up as much as this).

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Thanks - I'm feeling a little less shaken, but I've been eating everything in sight.

They all slid to a stop when they saw the car, but the one girl slipped and fell - right under the middle of the car. She jumped up right away after I came to a stop. I kept asking if she was ok. She looked about as freaked out as I was, but gave a thumbs up and nodded.

I have never had such a close call with a pedestrian (other cars, yes, but that never shook me up as much as this).

Good luck, good driving skills, an angel on your shoulder or on hers? Take a few deep breaths and congratulate yourself and her. I'm guessing they'll look before they run next time.

 

[ZPT1022]

That's so scary!! Back when I was a newer driver, I was driving my brother somewhere and we were headed home. I was going slow because the kids don't pay attention on their bikes, just like what happened to you. So I'm driving down the road to the house and I saw my brother's friend coming but he was paying no mind. I stopped but he drove his bike right into the side of the car. Like you it freaked me out quite a bit but then you eventually realize that the other party has a part to play in road safety as well. Good luck calming down

 

[Robmom]

That was really scary. Thankfully it turned out ok.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

How upsetting!!! Thank God everyone was all right. How fast these things can happen. Take care of your self.

 

[Froggyswife]

I'm still trying to calm down. I just dropped off my friend at the bus station, and on the way back, I turned the corner to come down the road to my house, and saw some kids (teens) at the side of the road. I slowed down a bit, to see if they saw me coming, but out of the corner of my eye I saw movement from the other direction.

Four of their friends had come from between cars waiting for the light, and dashed across the street. I slammed on the brakes, and they tried to stop, and one girl fell...and slid right under my car!! Thank GOD I stopped in time, because she was halfway under the car. If I hadn't been able to stop...

I've tried to call a few people to talk to, because when I came into the house, I broke down and started crying. My 16 year old son is here, and I went in and cried all over him, poor thing. I told him I hoped he and his friends ALWAYS cross at the light and look before they run to join friends. It seems that the young ones remember that, but the older ones start to forget.

I'm not usually one to go around looking for sympathy...but this has me all shaken.

OMG Cookie! I'm so sorry this happened. Thank God no one was hurt.

 

[Towncrier]

Thank God you were able to stop in time. A similar thing happened to Sue several years ago, and it is for that reason that I suggest you take your car to a reputible shop and have the brakes checked. Sue hit the brakes so hard that she actually shattered one of the brake pads, making it difficult to stop the van until she got the pad replaced. Better safe than sorry.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh that's so scary.


I was driving into my parents' townhouse development (I was done with grad school and lived with them for a year while getting my act together), and going the speed limit. I could see around a curve, but I knew that those coming the other way have a hard time seeing through the bushes. I saw a kid riding his bike FAST.

I knew he didn't see me, and I knew he was going to hit me and backing up wouldn't have gotten me out of the way. All I could do was stop completely so I could decrease the damage by having no velocity. I had barely stopped completely when he came around and hit my car. My brand new car. It's amazing the damage a kid on a bike can do to a Jetta, when no damage is done to a bike or rider. Got to find out that that sort of thing is covered by the bicyclist's parent's homeowner's insurance, by the way.


I hope you feel better soon!!!!!

 

[EMom]

DH and I are just holding our breath until we hit a ped or a bicyclist. We have over 100 miles of hike and bike paths in our town and they are largely hidden by woods. At an intersection, where the road meets a H&B path, the drivers have stop signs and the H&B paths have stop signs as well. EVERYONE is supposed to stop and wait their turn to proceed. However, the people on the H&B paths almost never stop.

If they are biking or running, they just keep on at full speed across the intersection. We have come so close to hitting them many times. We'll come to a stop, look both ways, and start to accelerate....only to find a runner/biker darting out in front of our accelerating vehicle. When they're going fast, it only takes a second or two for that to happen. Not long ago, one actually slapped the hood of my car as he ran past, as if to say, "You need to stay put!" I was still at the stop sign and hadn't accelerated yet, but he had not bothered to stop at his stop sign and had just ran full speed out in front of me. If I had stopped a few feet further ahead I would have hit him. It was dark and I would have never seen him. In fact, I had no idea he was there until he slapped my hood.

I'm soooooooo sorry if their run gets messed up by having to stop or slow down for a car or truck, but gee.....it beats getting hit by a several thousand pound vehicle. But then, if comprehending the meaning of "STOP" is beyond them, I guess physics is as well.

I'm sorry you had such a close call. It is terribly unnerving.